Changing Directions
by caffeineaddict13
Summary: Post-Eclipse. Jacob leaves La Push to forget about Bella - but things don't exactly go his way. Includes visits from the pack, the Cullens, and a few people you wouldn't expect. Rated T for teenage boy.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So I'm trying something a little different here. This'll be a multi-chapter fic, set after Eclipse but disregarding Breaking Dawn, set in Jacob's POV. Length is as of now not determined. I'm trying a little angsty humor, but I'm not really sure how good I am at that. Give me some feedback, please?

--

Here's the thing: when you're sixteen, you don't really expect to have too many responsibilities.

It's stupid, but most teenage boys _do_ feel kind of invincible. I mean, what is there to worry about? School gets annoying and parents can be tough, acne sucks and hormones are a pain in the ass, but other than that…well, it's pretty fucking great.

That is, for _normal_ teenage boys.

The thing is, I'm not exactly average – to say the least.

For one thing, there's my family. My sisters have been out of the house for a while, so it's pretty much been me and my dad, since my mom died when I was young. I'm not trying to be sappy or anything, 'cause I know plenty of kids who never see one or both of their parents, and to be honest I think that sucks more than knowing she's dead. At least it's over and done with, you know? I'm not a big fan of loose ends, if you catch my drift.

But anyhow, on top of being a sort-of-almost-only-child, my dad's paralyzed from the waist down. Now, technology's pretty good these days so there's a lot of stuff that he can do that he wouldn't have been able to years ago, and we have a lot of friends that help out and everything, but _still_. It's mostly me, all the time…being there. Which – and this is gonna make me sound like a total jerk, but whatever – can get kind of old.

And, you know…there is the whole thing where I turn into a giant wolf and fight of blood-sucking creatures of the night.

Yeah…I guess the right word for me would be _freak_.

In any case, it's pretty difficult to balance all of this crap and, at the same time, deal with girls.

Which I happen to do a _lot_ of, nowadays.

See – I'm in love with Bella Swan. Normally, this wouldn't really be a problem. 'Cause even though I'm two years her junior, I'm also her best friend. And, well…I'm insanely good-looking. I'm not trying to be cocky or anything, because, _believe me_, I went through my awkward phase (thank god that's over) – it's just a fact. Bella's even told me herself, albeit in fewer words.

The _problem_ is that she's kind of in love with my mortal enemy. "In love," surprisingly, being the operative words here, rather than "mortal enemy." 'Cause when I say in love, what I really mean is scarily obsessed. The thing about vampires – and werewolves, actually, but that's a whole _different_ story – is that once their in love, their _set_. Done. Finito. And despite being completely human genetics-wise, Bella's sort of the same way. It doesn't really matter to her that I can give her this whole life that the bloodsucker can't, because, in the end – it's always him. _Always_.

Which is why I'm on my way to tell her that I'm leaving.

'Cause, frankly – this whole love bullshit is beginning to get on my nerves.

It's bad enough when the girl you've got the hots for doesn't like you back. I mean, in eighth grade Quil fell for this blond freshman, _hard_, and when he finally got up enough courage to ask her out, she totally spat in his face. Up until Claire, he was _still _getting over that.

But with Bella, not only do I have to accept that she'll never be with me, I also have to get my heart broken like _every fucking day_ – and that might sound girly, but the thing is, that's actually what it feels like. Literal rips and gashes in my literal heart – that weird-looking organ in my chest. I mean, at this point, I'm not even sure it's there anymore.

It's just too much.

And I know running away seems like a cheap way to go, but what else am I supposed to do? The pack doesn't need me right now, not ever since we got rid of that red-headed vamp, and Bella's perfectly happy living out her fairytale wedding, teenage funeral fantasy without me. I'd probably just mess it up anyway.

Being me…kinda blows.

Majorly.

--

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Heavy on the angst, but what can you do? Happy New Year.

--

I knock on the Swan's door and Charlie answers, dressed in his blue police uniform and swinging his gun with his right hand.

"Hey, Chief," I say. Charlie smiles back.

"What's up, Jake? You here to see Bells?" I nod and he gestures for me to come in.

Sometimes I feel bad for Charlie. I mean, he has no idea that he's about to lose his daughter, or that there's this whole other world that all the people he's closest to are living in. He won't get to say goodbye, not really, and even though he hasn't known Bella for long, anyone could tell that he cares about her.

But then I just get jealous. Because is it really so bad not to know what's coming? It's not like he could stop it. It's like that saying, right? Ignorance is bliss. If I could have ignorance over power, I think I'd choose ignorance.

I walk inside and find Bella in her bedroom. My nose crinkles when I smell the overly-sweet vampire smell that saturates the room. It makes me sick. Beyond that, though, I can still smell Bella's scent – apples and honeysuckle, this strange sun-smell that's warmer than my skin by far.

"Hey," I say. She turns around and smiles carefully.

"Hey."

I pull the necklace out of my back pocket – the chain is silver and the amulet is round with a gold seven-pointed star in the center. "Here," I say. "It's for good luck…kind of like a wedding gift."

She turns it in her hands, her eyes wide. "Thanks," she breathes.

"Sorry it's not traditional. I guess I should've gotten you a tea set or something – although it's not like you'll need it…"

My voice is bitter and I know I'm being harsh. But, I mean, what else am I supposed to do? I don't know how this is supposed to go; saying goodbye to the girl you loved before she subsequently got married and turned into your enemy. There's no How-To manual for this kind of thing.

The worst part about this whole thing is knowing that _this_ is how I'll always remember her. I love Bella, sure, but, right now, I don't really _like_ her. It might be easier if I could generate some actual hate, but instead I just get this fucked-up soul-squashing thing. It sucks.

She purses her lips.

"I guess not," she mutters.

I don't say anything, and she doesn't say anything, and it's that awkward silence where you're both waiting for the other person to speak, 'cause you both know that they _want_ to. After a very painful minute, I decide to take the reins.

"So…"

Clever, Jacob.

"Yeah…" she says, nodding. I guess she's having the same trouble as I am.

"I can't come to your wedding," I blurt out.

She looks down and for a second it looks like she's…_sad_. But seriously, what did she expect?

"Oh." She swallows tightly.

"I'm…going away for a while."

She nods, still not looking at my face. "I don't want you to feel like you have to leave, Jacob."

I roll my eyes. "I know the bride's supposed to feel like everything revolves around her, Bells, but believe it or not I'm not doing this for _your_ sake."

"Oh," she says again.

"Anyway, I just thought I'd say goodbye before I left. You know…._before_…"

The word hangs heavy in the air, like we're both trying not to think about it.

"Before…" she mimics. She brings her head up to look at me now. She's sad, and in a weird way I feel kind of smug. It's nice to know that I have _some_ effect on her.

"I wanted you to be my best man, you know," she says suddenly. "Alice wouldn't let me…it wasn't too in-line with what she had planned. Picture-perfect wedding and all."

I shrug, but smile all the same. "I don't know if that would've gone over to well with the pack, either. Except Seth, of course."

She smiles, then frowns. "I really want you there, Jake."

I can feel that in my chest; sharp. "You can't always get what you want."

"I know."

I walk closer to where she's sitting and get on my knees, then lean even closer. I kiss her forehead first, then her cheeks, then her nose. I hesitate when I get to her mouth. I can still remember what Cullen said, but to be honest giving him a reason to fight me wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Bella nods, though, and I press my mouth lightly to hers. She tastes like vanilla.

"I wish things were different," she says.

"Don't we all." I shrug and get up quickly. I don't turn back to look at her when I say goodbye.

--

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Stay with me here. The plot's a-comin'.

**Disclaimer**: I own…most people at rock-paper-scissors. No, seriously. I do. But I don't own Twilight.

--

I hear Leah before I see her.

_She's a bitch_, she says, her voice loud in my head. I hadn't meant to let my thoughts slip out, but I guess Leah had been listening all the same. Soon she's running next to me, and I growl.

_No, she's not_.

Leah sticks her nose up – the wolf-equivalent of rolling her eyes.

_You're right_, she says, dripping with sarcasm. _I'm the bitch. She's just _stupid.

The thing about Leah is that she's really not as bad as everyone thinks. Maybe I can understand 'cause of Bella, or maybe it's just because I remember what she was like _before_ Sam imprinted on Emily. Either way, sometimes it's hard for people to realize that Leah's actually a decent person beyond the harsh attitude.

_Go away, Leah. I'm not in the mood_.

_Whatever_, she says. _Just don't be gone too long, alright? Billy'll get worried._

I stop running. _Leah…I'm…not coming back. At least, not for a while._

_What do you mean?_ She asks, anger seeping in now.

_I just need some time. This whole supernatural thing has been too much, too fast. I can't deal._

_Well, _fuck_, Jacob. I thought you were better than that_.

_Excuse me?_ I say, incredulous. Where does _she_ get off telling me about myself?

There's a hint of a smirk on her face. _I just didn't think you were the kind to run away, that's all._

_Don't try to get all self-righteous on me, Lee. You're not exactly one to talk._

_Whatever, Jacob. Just keep in touch, for your father's sake. It's the least you can do, abandoning him like this_.

Ouch. That one hurt.

_Wow, you _are_ a bitch_.

Leah sighs in her head. _Don't I know it, right? See ya later, Jake._

She runs off and I hear it the moment she phases back, her voice leaving my head. I guess the others figured I would need some privacy, 'cause it's quiet now.

Now that I'm leaving, though, I don't really have the most exact plan. I figured I would just kind of…run, you know, 'embrace the wolf' and all that, only now that it's come down to it…

I'm thinking maybe somewhere north. Like Canada. Yeah, Canada. We don't get much snow in La Push, and even when we do it only takes a day for it to turn into this gross, brown slush. And it's not like the cold will bother me, so…Canada.

Even as fast as I run, it takes me days to get to some sort of landmark. I live off animals that I find on the way, which is actually kind of gross, and gives massive stomachaches when you turn human again, but, what can you do. I hadn't been fully human for a while now, and I honestly don't expect to get out of this, well, 'fully human,' either.

Everything is so white here. It doesn't do much to help my memories, but it's still really pretty. Amazing, even. It's not the kind of snow I've seen in Washington and not even the kind I've seen on TV. It's sparkly and quiet and calm. You can tell that there are places around here that no person will ever touch, dead or alive, and there's something kind of exhilarating about that. Scary, but beautiful.

Kind of like me, right?

Anyway, I'm trying to rest a little now. I don't know how far the wolf-mind-connection thing holds, since we haven't really tested it this far. I'd had doubts about it working much passed the boundaries of Washington, but I guess there are vampires everywhere, huh?

Either I'm too far away or no one's dared to phase yet. Or I've gone deaf. Or I just haven't noticed.

A week from now Bella will be getting married. _Married_. As in, 'I now pronounce you man and wife' married. 'Till death do us part' married. I don't think she understands that it isn't just weird because it's with a monster. It's weird because she's _Bella_. She's taken care of Charlie and even Billy and me, and even though she doesn't talk about that kind of stuff much, I know that she's taken care of her mom, too. But…a _husband_?

I need to stop thinking about all of this. I promised myself that I would get away from all of that…from the legends and the fairytales. And the _pain_.

It still hurts, though. Thousands of miles do nothing to solve that problem.

I lie down in the snow because it's soft enough to be a mattress, and there's no way I'm getting hypothermia. I'm a fucking werewolf.

I think I'd been asleep about seven hours before someone was trying to bite my head off. No, _really_. As in, _actually_ bite my head off.

Oh, well. At least I had a damn good dream.

--

**END**


	4. Chapter 4

A lot of things happened then in a very short amount of time.

First, I yelp. Now, I know I'm supposed to be ready-for-anything-super-wolf, but I don't care what you say: a surprise attack is a surprise attack. That's the whole point.

My next thought is something like _aw, shit_. Because, God, it really sucks to think you're getting _away_ from all this drama only to find out that you walked right into more.

That was when I realized that it was a vampire. The thing that was trying to kill me, I mean. I hadn't yet caught it's scent, but after a year of bloodsucker ass-kicking, you kind of develop a…sixth sense about this. Not in the I-see-dead-people kind of way (although, if you want to get technical, I suppose I _do_ see dead people…), more like you can just _sense_ their presence. And the minute I come to this conclusion, I simultaneously want to choke on the too-sweet smell, and freaking _maim_ it.

All of this transpires in about two seconds, which, frankly, when your dealing with vampires, is two seconds too long. So I turn around and let out a growl, ready to fight.

Then I see it's eyes.

This seems like a weird thing to notice when you're about to kill someone, but I always like to look my prey in the face before I go in for the kill. Maybe it's a wolf thing. Or maybe it's a _me_ thing, I don't know – all I know is that this vamp doesn't stare at me with burgundy orbs like I was planning on. No, these things are gold, I'm sure of it, and as soon as I see them I have another flash of thought and quickly decide that, as much as I hate the Cullens, I'm not going to kill one of their long-lost relatives and start up a most likely centuries-long war between supernatural species. If _that_ was going to happen, I was taking down Edward myself, not some blond parasite in the middle of nowhere.

So I phase, quickly, and push the vamp away before it can inflict anymore damage.

"Hey, stop!" I yell. "I'm not here to kill you!"

The female bloodsucker that had been attacking me actually _rolls_ her eyes.

"Well, of course you're not going to _kill_ me, mutt."

I sigh. You know, considering most of them had been around hundreds of years longer then me, you'd think they'd have picked up some _manners_.

"I _mean_ that I'm not your enemy," I explain. "I'm part of the pack in La Push, the reservation down in Washington."

She looks at me like she was expecting more. I figure that she would know about the treaty, considering your choice of diet, but I decide to do some name-dropping anyway to trigger her memory.

"I know the Cullens," I say. "I'm, uh…_friends_ with the Cullens. My name is Jacob Black."

"Oh," she says. "You're one of _those_ dogs."

I clench my teeth. "Yes. Who are you?"

She looks me up and down, as if she were grading me or something. "I'm Kate. Do you know where you are, kid?"

"I have a pretty decent idea…" I say. The truth is, I'm actually not that sure. Last night I had been fairly sure of where I was, but with the morning light it was a bit disorienting. Everything looked the _same_ around here.

Kate smirks. "You're in Denali, Alaska."

"Alaska?" I ask incredulously. She nods. "Jesus."

She chuckles, and I can't help but notice that it sounds kinda condescending. "Jesus isn't going to help you now, baby."

I roll my eyes. "You can go now," I tell her.

"Oh, but I've been enjoying talking to you ever so much."

I think I grunted. "If you're not going to leave…" I started to walk away.

"Hold on," Kate said. "I believe I've been quite rude. I'm not personally too fond of dogs, but any friend of the Cullen's is a friend of mine. We do have human food around here, you know. Let me get you something to eat."

"No, thanks," I say. "I'm not exactly partial to vampire hospitality."

"Suit yourself," she shrugs. She crouches as if getting ready for a run, when I know that she doesn't really need to do that.

I groan. "Fine. But if you try anything weird, I'm out."

Kate smiles. "Fair enough. Follow me."

She takes off running.

Now, us werewolves are quite fast. I mean, even in human form I could beat out pretty much any Olympic athlete. But we're also all really tall and big and…all that weight can make us slower than bloodsuckers. It's fine in battle, 'cause what we lack in speed we make up in pure brute strength, but it's not so nice when a vampire tells you to tailgate.

"Hold up!"

Kate stops with no warning and I slam into her, both of us falling on top of each other into the snow.

"What are you doing, mutt?" she screeches.

I snort. "Oh, right, like I'd want to hit on _you_!"

"Just try to watch we're you're going next time, alright?"

We both get up and brush off before bursting into a run again. This time, I'm ready, and within no time we've made it to what looks like a house.

Don't get me wrong; it was a really nice house, just not what I was expecting. I guess when I heard Alaska I just figured there'd be ice castles and igloos and all that crap, but this was just a house. A house filled with vampires, that is.

This is gonna be interesting.

--

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** I know Jake might be a little OOC in this chapter, with his whole vampire reactions, but just stay with me. I'm not exactly sure _how_ yet, but there _will_ be angsty, love-sick Jacob Black. I promise.

--

If there is one thing you should know about vampires – besides the whole blood-sucking bit – it's that they can hold a grudge like _no other_.

Which is why, although I'm not exactly expecting it, I'm not really taken by surprise at the welcome I get when I walk into Kate's house.

The first thing I hear is a growl. I know this sound very well – it's what all predators give before fighting, and when it's coming from a vampire it's actually quite particular. Especially for females.

This one was more of a hiss, feline-like but more angry than playful – not like the redhead that had been after Bella. When I hear it I know I am in some _deep _shit.

It's only after I hear it that I see the two other vampires inside the house – they're both blond, but I don't much register their appearance after that. Frankly, inhuman beauty gets kinda boring after you've been staring at it for too long. The one with the darker hair is sitting on a white couch on the other side of the room. Her eyes are half-closed in a very un-bloodsucker sort of way – she's almost…lazy. Bored.

The growl has come from a taller girl, now being held back, just barely, by Kate. If her expression is any indication of what she's feeling, I'm totally right about the growl – this bitch is _murderous_.

"Irina!" I hear Kate say. She's talking to the tall one, trying to calm her down. "Calm down! He's friends with the Carlisle!"

The vamp who's sitting down looks up at the mention of the doctor, a flash of interest in her eyes. She folds her arms and freaking _glides_ to where the rest of us are standing. I don't think I've seen anyone walk smoother, not even that tiny, psychic girl.

"Oh?" she asks, smirking.

I nod, I think, 'cause there's not much else to do, right?

Irina still looks livid – assuring her of my alliances hasn't seemed to do much to relax her.

"I _know_ who he is!" she screeches. Her voice is nothing like the other two's – it isn't the usual suavity that I expect from the demons; instead cracking on the higher syllables. "Believe me, I know _exactly_ who he is!"

"Hey," I say, holding my hands up. "Chill. I didn't even know you guys were here."

Irina just bares her teeth and hisses at me.

"Irina," Kate says firmly. "Look – I know what you're thinking, okay? But this kid hasn't done anything wrong."

"He was there!" Irina whispers hoarsely. Kate's grip seems to have loosened a bit, though, so I'm pretty sure she's calming down a little. "I know it – look at him. _He was there_."

The bored bloodsucker, whose name I have yet to learn, rolls her eyes. "Oh, go get a drink, Irina. You're being a total bitch to our guest, here."

You know, I'm not exactly the most affectionate person in the world – _especially_ to vampires, but so far this chick is proving to be kind of awesome.

Irina just clenches her teeth and stalks off to the couch, crossing in her arms in a five-year-old, temper-tantrum kind of way.

"Sorry about that," Kate says cheerfully. "It's a long story."

"It's okay," I shrug. "I wasn't really expecting a potluck or anything."

Awesome Chick laughs. "You're funny," she says. Well, _duh_. I guess no one said they were smart. "For a dog, that is." I scowl. "I'm Tanya," she says, reaching her hand out. I shake it, sort of tentatively, 'cause no matter how cool she is, she's still a _vampire_, and that's kind of…uncomfortable. I mean, it's like touching an ice sculpture, if ice sculptures could reach out and crush your head at any second.

"Jacob," I say, letting go of her hand quickly.

She grins. "Jacob Black?" she asks.

"Yes…" I reply, confused. "What's it to you?"

"I've just heard stories, that's all," she says. "Descendant of Ephraim Black, correct?"

I nod, a little freaked out now.

Tanya turns to Kate, bumping shoulders. "Looks like we've got an Alpha on our hands, huh, sis?"

Kate chuckles. "That's interesting," she says conversationally.

I shake my head. "Oh, no, I'm not an Alpha. _Trust_ me, I am _so_ not an Alpha."

Tanya shrugs. "My mistake," she says, but she's still smirking.

I can see that Irina's still looking kind of tense, and giving my ultra-death glares from her little corner.

"Um, is she gonna be okay?" I ask, gesturing.

Kate waves her hand, dismissing it and Tanya rolls her eyes again. "Don't worry about her," Kate tells me. "It's just…well, one of your little pup pals had a run-in with her mate."

My blood feels kind of like it's frozen in place. "Her…um, mate? Who was he?"

"Laurent," Tanya says. "Tall, dreadlocks, eats humans. I'm sure you'll remember him in a second."

I do, actually. He was the vamp that was trying to kill Bella. I get a surge of fresh anger when I think about him. "_That_ was her _mate_?"

Kate shrugs. "We told her it all seemed kind of fishy." She shares a glance with Tanya. "Him showing up out of nowhere, wanting to "change his ways" and all…"

Tanya shakes her head. "We said, 'Irina, it's not gonna happen,' but she just wouldn't listen."

I look over at Irina at this point, who is still staring at me. She looks like she's about to pounce.

"You guys aren't…mad?" I ask.

They smile. "Look, we get it. He was going after that little pet human the Cullens love so much…you guys were just doing your job. Obviously, Irina's pissed, and you can't really blame her, but…"

Tanya finishes, smirking. "We're cool."

Then they show me where the market is, which just happens to be like a mile away – it's visible from the window once they wipe away a layer of ice. Tanya says she's going to take Irina – whose still looking like she's gonna rip my head off – out hunting, and Kate comes with me to the market ("Vampire hospitality," she grins).

And all I can think about is that this is by far the _weirdest_ trip I've ever taken, and I'm only a couple days in.

--

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

Kate and Tanya wrinkle their noses when I bite into one of the five sandwiches I bought at the market (not to mention the three bags of chips, box of Oreos, and, like, 20 liters of Coke I'm definitely going to be guzzling later on), but I ignore them.

They have the fire going now – although I honestly have no idea _why_ they have a fireplace in the first place, since it's not like they need one, and I have a change of clothes on while my frozen ones thaw. Being so hot-blooded is a good thing, in my case, but unfortunately there are certain amenities that I guess I just forgot to take into consideration before I jumped into my going-out-to-find-myself quest for the Holy Grail, or whatever.

Irina is apparently refusing to stay in the house while I'm here, and I guess I can't blame her. I mean, I am not at all regretful for killing that horrible parasite, but…I suppose I can sympathize, all the same.

"So," Tanya says, breaking the silence. Tanya has the kind of voice that just demands attention – it reminds a little of that blond vamp back in Forks, Rosalie, only less hostile. "Jacob."

"Yesm?" I mumble, trying to swallow a chunk of bread.

"What exactly were your intentions?" she asks. Kate nods, and they exchange glances – something that's been getting on my nerves. They do it like I'm not here, almost, or they're sharing some secret that I'll never get to know about.

"What do you mean?" I sneer.

"What are you doing here, is what I mean."

"What are you talking about?" I say. "You invited me."

Tanya rolls her eyes. "No, you stupid mutt. Not _here_, here. _Here_ as in so far away from that Reservation you wolf-boys hang around."

"Oh," I mutter. "Well, you could have just _said_ that."

Kate chuckles and I just stare at her until she shuts up.

"I don't really know why I'm here, I guess," I admit.

"That's a lie," says Tanya pointedly.

"How would you know?"

She shrugs. "I can tell."

It's my turn to roll my eyes. "What, is it, like, your _power_ or something?"

"No," says. "It's just that humans are usually not very good liars."

I grin. "Well, I'm not usually a human."

Tanya opens her mouth to respond but Kate interrupts her. "You're more human than you think, Jacob Black."

I look away for a second – just thinking. I realize that I've been holding my breath and when I let it out it feels like…I don't know. Something more.

"I don't know why I'm _here_," I tell them. "I know why I left."

Kate leans forward and puts her hand underneath her chin, like I'm about to tell some great ghost story.

"Why'd you leave?" asks Tanya. Her voice is quieter this time – cutting the lemon with water.

I swallow. I don't really know why I'm telling them this – they should be the last people I would talk to, right? Mortal enemies and all.

Then I realize that maybe that's _why_ it's okay. Because if there's anyone that can understand, that won't judge or try to persuade me about what's good for me or Bella or the pack or whatever, it's someone who doesn't even _like_ me.

"A girl," I say finally.

Kate raises her eyebrows and Tanya mutters "Figures."

I just laugh. "Yeah, I know."

"What'd she do?" Kate asks. "Break your heart?"

I sigh. "Like a million times."

"They always do," Tanya says, almost smiling. "So who is she? Some hot she-wolf?"

I snicker. "Ah…not exactly." I pause, half-heartedly laughing again. "You know how when we found Laurent he was about to kill, right?"

Kate nods. "Yeah, Edward's mate."

I raise my eyebrows.

Kate's eyes widen. "Oh. _Oh_. Wow."

"That sucks," Tanya replies bluntly.

"Yeaahhh." I chug back a soda, trying to fill up the air in my lungs with bubbles, maybe.

"Love's like that, you know," Tanya says, with that quiet voice again. "Scary. Painful. Over in a second. It hurts and it sucks, a lot, most of the time." Kate looks at her sister, and it's weird because the way her eyes are set – it's like she's never seen her before. "It's worth it, though. Always – in the end. You can't keep running away, Jacob Black. Eventually it's gonna catch up with you."

"I'm not running away," I snap. "I'm not _scared_."

"A normal person would be," Tanya sneers.

"Yeah, well, I'm _not_, okay?" I look at her and shake my head. "I didn't leave because it hurt, or because it _didn't_. I just…" I sigh. "I can't know myself when everything I am depends on another person. It's not fair…to either of us."

Kate smiles. "You're a smart kid, Alpha."

"I told you I'm not –"

"I know, I know," she says. "You have it in you, though." She puts her hands up in front of her face and makes them into a square, like she's taking a picture. "I can see it."

I yawn and roll my eyes. "Vampires."

--

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** I'm having, like, _way_ too much fun with this. But the plot comes in this chapter, I promise.

--

By the time I wake up the next morning, it's already bright out – the sun is tall in the sky and the whole room is white from the reflected snow in the window. It's really amazing, actually…everything is here.

"Jacob Black," I hear, loud and obnoxious next to me.

I think I mumble something like "Guhh" before Kate starts pulling me up and over. I cover my face with my forearm, trying to shield my _sensitive_ eyes from the sun.

"Wake up, dog," I hear Tanya say, and it's only her skin that does it. It's so cold I can't _help_ but be knocked awake – it's like someone's pouring freezing water on me.

"You both suck," I tell Kate. She grins and points to her teeth.

"I know, right?"

I think I managed to sneer before letting out a yawn, stretching my arms and legs, stiff from sleeping on the couch (albeit more comfortable than the ground outside, but, still – you try fitting your close-to-seven-foot frame on a five-foot cushion). I finish twisting out the kinks in my neck before I turn back to the blood-sucking sisters.

"So what's on the agenda for today?"

Kate smiles. "Actually, you got a call this morning."

"A…call?" I ask incredulously. "Like, as in a _phone_ call?"

"No, actually we communicate with French horn signals around here," Tanya says, rolling her eyes. "Of course it was a telephone call, you imbecile."

"Well, jeez," I mutter. "Someone's a bit touchy this morning." I smirk, stretching in an exaggerated yawn. "You sure you got enough sleep last night?"

"Haha," Tanya deadpans. "Just go call her back, alright? I have work to do."

"What _work_ could you _possibly_ be doing?" I question in disbelief. "You're a –"

My dad says I have a problem with listening. I'm one of those people that just kind of takes in half of what someone tells me, letting the other half slide right by. I'm thinking, now, that maybe I should work on that.

"Wait," I say slowly, "call _her_ back?"

Kate chuckles. "You're really stuck on her, aren't you, Jacob Black?"

"Shut up," I scoff. Then, "So where's the phone again?"

Tanya sighs, pointing one of her long fingers towards another room. "There."

I get up and walk over to the phone, picking it carefully up and pressing it to my ear. "Bella?"

"Jesus, Jake, don't you think about _anything_ else?"

I clench my teeth at the voice, louder and stronger than I was expecting. "Hi, Leah."

"Hi, yourself, kid. What are you doing in a house full of blood-suckers?"

"Look, you're the one that called. You better have something to tell me or I'm hanging up."

I can hear Leah tense on the other line. "Yeah, okay." She pauses, like she's afraid to go on or of my reaction or something. "It's actually about…her."

I can feel my heartbeat speed up automatically, already dreading what she's going to say next. "Bella? What happened? What's wrong?"

"She's – ah, God, Jake, I don't know how to tell you this –"

"How about you just tell me before I come over there and beat it out of you?" I interrupt her angrily.

"Okay, okay," she says quickly. "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid, alright?"

"Whatever, I promise. Just tell me what's up."

"No, I mean it, Jacob," she tells me, stern now. I roll my eyes and realize that I've been clenching my fists so hard that my knuckles are white. "I'm not gonna be the one to pick up your leftovers. _Don't be an idiot_."

I sigh. "Leah, I promise I won't do anything you wouldn't do. Is that good enough?"

She answers slowly. "I guess." I wait for her to continue, holding my breath. Finally, I can hear her take a breath before speaking again. "Bella's gone."

My heart stops.

"What?"

"She's gone. She just…disappeared. Yesterday. The Cullens have been freaking out – having the psychic search for her all over, but they can't find her." She pauses, taking another breath. "The psychic can't _see_ her, Jake."

I can feel my pulse start up again. _She can't see her_. I remember Bella explaining to me about all the Cullen's extra powers and something sticks in my mind.

"Does that mean…?"

"Yes," Leah answers quietly. "That's what they think, at least. I think so, too."

"What does…" I trail off, trying to find the right words. "How…"

Leah fills the gap. "You should've seen her, kid. Before she left. I mean, I was barely around and I could see the difference. She was just…distracted. Separate. _Empty_. Whatever's going on with her, it has something to do with you."

I suddenly want this conversation to be over. I want to go outside and look at the snow, at Alaska – all this beauty around me and forget about everything else.

"Thanks for calling, Leah."

"Yeah," she says, understanding. "Be careful, okay?"

"Right," I reply. "Bye."

When I hang up the phone I run back to the other room where Tanya and Kate are waiting. I can't read their expressions, but I don't stop to tell them what's happening, either. I run outside and lift up my shirt, wanting to phase and leave all of this.

Then I freeze.

"Jacob?"

--

**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** The angst has returned! It's mad 'cause I kept it away for so long. Reviews?

--

"_Jacob?"_

If you've ever been punched in the stomach, then you know what I'm talking about when I say that my breath actually got knocked right out of me. The thing is, since I'd become a werewolf I _hadn't_ gotten punched in the stomach – at least not hard enough to do any real damage, so it just made this whole breathing thing all the more difficult.

I think it takes about thirty whole seconds for my mind and body to catch up with each other, and then I look carefully at the scene in front of me, trying to figure out exactly how any of this is happening.

"What are you doing here?" I blurt out. It's an honest question, though – and it's really my turn to speak anyway.

"I…I'm not sure." She looks at me with those sad doe-eyes and my insides freeze up again, but my thoughts are still going faster than the rest of me and I can recognize that it's _anger_ that's making its way to my mouth.

"I told you I needed _time_, Bella. I told you I needed to think, to sort all of this shit out. You can't just show up in fucking _Alaska_, of all places, and expect me to understand what's going on in your head."

Her eyes are wide – she's obviously a little surprised at the stuff that's coming out of me. I don't think I've ever really been that angry before…not to her, at least.

"I'm sorry, Jake," she tells me, staring at her feet. "I was scared and…worried about you, and I know it hasn't been long but I _have_ had time to think…about a lot of things." She stops to breathe, then looks up at me, confused. "What are _you_ doing here?"

I don't answer her, asking another question instead. "What were you worried about?"

"I, uh…everything," she mumbles. "Just – you can be kind of rash sometimes and I thought maybe you'd get hurt or wrapped up in something bigger than you – I don't know. And then Alice was checking up on the Denali coven and they were missing…so I put two and two together and, well, I don't know much about Tanya and Kate and Irina," she pauses, quirking her mouth. "But I just…I didn't want anything to happen to you."

I sigh – some of the anger has ebbed away by now, because she's still _Bella_, after all, and it's sort of hard to be mad at her for too long.

"It's nice that you were thinking of me and everything, Bells, but…I mean, that still doesn't really explain what you're doing here."

She moves closer to me, and I can see that her lips are kind of chapped from the wind and she's got on a permanent blush and a red-tipped nose from the cold – it makes her skin look even paler than usual.

"I love you, Jake," she says, and her voice is stronger than I expect it to be. "I'm in love with you. And I want to be with you instead of him."

At first, I'm pretty sure I'm dreaming. I mean, I've imagined this scenario a thousand times – Bella finally realizes that Cullen isn't right for her (for _anyone_, really), and she tells me and she kisses me and we can be together. But I can feel her hand on my cheek now, as she goes on her tip-toes and gasps a little when her cold fingers touch my skin. I can see the brown in her eyes and smell the strawberry in her hair when the wind blows, and for whatever reason, I _know_ that this is real.

"Why?" I ask suddenly – because for some reason I _have_ to know. Because after all of this, I can't just _accept_ it, you know? There has to be some sort of explanation.

"Why do you love _me_, Jacob? Why does anyone fall in love?" She stares at me and it's then, for once, that I can really see how much older than me she is. "Because you were gone for barely a week and I felt like I was suffocating – I couldn't deal with knowing that you weren't gonna _be_ there when I needed you, and that you were off somewhere, having some adventure without me. I couldn't sleep thinking that maybe you were hurt or dead or _worse_, or that I wouldn't see you again or get to hear you laugh. I can't live without you, Jacob – I couldn't, even if I wanted to."

"Do you still want _him_, Bella?" I ask.

She hesitates, and I know the answer before she says it. "Yes. No. I don't know." She puts both arms around my neck and stares at me. "I haven't worked this all out yet. I just know that I love you – and that's enough, isn't it? It's enough that I'm choosing you?"

I kiss her then – it isn't like the kiss before I left, this one is long and sweet, but not careful. It isn't a goodbye and we both know it; we're both taking our time with it.

It _is_ enough, I decide. But –

"For now," I whisper into her ear, pressing my lips against her neck. "It's enough for now, Bells."

--

Bella decides she's going to check in at a nearby hotel. Well, relatively nearby, considering there aren't that many hotels in Denali. I can't help but find it ironic that the vampire-girl is _scared_ to stay with Kate and Tanya, while me, the fucking werewolf, is not.

When I get back inside I figure I should probably call someone, and since I'm not yet ready to face Cullen, I dial Leah's number.

She answers alert. "What's up?"

"She's here," I tell her. "She's safe, so you can tell all of them to stop worrying."

Leah sighs. "That's good, I guess." Pause – it's the thoughtful Leah that I don't usually get to see, now. "How are you, kid?"

"I'm not sure," I answer honestly. "There's a lot to think over, that's all."

"Well," she says, louder. "Don't think _too_ hard, alright? You'll hurt yourself."

I snort. "Yeah, thanks, Lee."

"No problem. Check in soon, okay?"

"Sure, sure."

I hang up the phone and put my head in my hands. It's going to be a _really_ long day.

--

**TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

"So it _was_ her, then, huh, lover-boy?" asks Tanya the second I get off the phone.

"Well – see, not exactly…"

They both look at me, curious.

"It wasn't her on the _phone_, that is," I attempt to explain.

"Are you trying to insinuate something or what?" Tanya questions, that ever-present smirk on her face. "'Cause you're not making much sense here, dog."

I sigh. "Look, don't do anything _weird_, okay?"

"What's _that_ supposed to mean, Jacob Black?" Kate growls.

"It just means that you are by far the _freakiest_ blood-suckers I've ever spent this much time with, and I have a feeling that if I tell you, you're either gonna make this huge deal about it and start cracking jokes or…I don't even know," I admit. "You sort of tend to surprise me."

Tanya rolls her eyes. "Well, we won't." I raise an eyebrow. "No, _really_," she says, and she looks pretty sincere so I decide to just take her word for it.

"Bella is…here."

They don't say anything – just kinda stare at me, which vampires can do for a really long time 'cause of the whole no-body-fluids thing. It's pretty creepy.

"Denali, Alaska, here, I mean," I elaborate.

Kate stares at me in this apologetic way. "Look, I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but…what does she think she's _doing_?"

I shrug. "It's complicated, that's all."

Tanya snorts. "_Please_," she complains. "Complicated my ass, Jacob Black."

Kate sighs, like she's been expecting Tanya to do something stupid.

"Look, Tanya," I start, "I respect that you've most likely had this long hard life and everything, and _clearly_ you've had some issues to get you the way you are –"

"_Excuse_ me?" Tanya bites, interrupting me. "_The way I am_? What exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It's just that obviously someone's _made_ you this way, that's all. People aren't just born cynical like that, baby. It takes some fucking heart-breaking to get it going."

I can see Kate wince in the corner of my eye. Obviously, this was _not_ the right thing to say.

"Don't try and act like you know anything about the _way I am_, alright?" Tanya says, pointing her finger at me. "You have _no_ fucking idea."

Now, I'm not going to pretend that Tanya doesn't scare me a little. Because as much as I sort of, unfortunately, genuinely _like_ these guys, vampires are vampires are vampires. And angry, _female _vampires are another thing all together.

But I also don't like being told I'm wrong, or when people try and act like something I have isn't _real_, or whatever. And I'm also kind of morbidly curious about what the hell _did_ happen to Tanya. Or _who_, I guess I should say.

"Tell me, then, Miss High-and-Holy," I spit, leaning in. Tanya's glaring at me something evil, and I'm glaring back just because. "_Explain it to me_."

"Edward Cullen!" Kate exclaims suddenly. As soon as the name comes out of her mouth, her eyes get wide and her lips make this little 'o'. And – hold on, _Edward Cullen_?

"Do you mean…?" I ask, confused. Kate, looking guilty, nods. "Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me."

"Not kidding," Tanya replies blandly, her eyes half-closed again.

"Okay," I breathe, closing my eyes for a moment. "You're gonna have to…clear this up a little for me."

Tanya rolls her eyes in a bored sort of way. "I liked Edward, he didn't like me. That's the whole story."

"Liked?"

Tanya sighs. "_Loved_. I _loved_ him, okay? It doesn't matter – it's in the past."

"Don't you guys have, like, eternal love or whatever?" I ask.

"It's not eternal when it's unrequited, I guess," Tanya shrugs.

I don't say anything else for a while, and each of us stares at something different. I find it ironic that I have more in common with Tanya than I probably should, considering we're mortal enemies and such. I suppose there aren't many boundaries where love is involved. I don't think much else _exists_ where love is involved.

"She came back for _me_," I say finally. "Because she loves me."

Kate smiles carefully. "I think you should go with her," she tells me. "Wherever it is that she wants to go, you should follow. I think that even if it's meant to be, Jacob Black, you'll have to fight for it."

I nod. Kate reaches forward and hugs me, and even though it's cold, I hug her back.

Then I turn to Tanya.

"Good luck, wolf-boy," she smirks. "I guess I'll kind of miss you." She holds out her hand.

"Yeah," I say. "I guess I'll kind of miss you, too."

--

**TBC**

--

**A/N: **There's, like, an unprecedented amount of italicized words in this. I tend to do that when characters get emotional, I guess.

So I know ya'll liked Tanya, and I'm sad to see her and Kate go, too. But I feel like if Jacob stays with them, this isn't going to go anywhere except into crackfic land, which is nice and all, but not what I want for this story.

Also: you guys are sort of kind of completely made of awesome. Seriously. Your reviews make my freakin' day, and I'm really glad your liking this so far.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** I hate to be a total cliché with the poetry thing, but…I guess I'm just a sucker for pretty words.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Twilight, don't own e.e. cummings.

--

I'm not generally a very nervous kind of guy. What I mean to say is – shaking, sweaty palms, lip-biting, all that jazz…it's just not my thing. If I'm nervous about something, it's generally more of an anxiousness, or an eagerness – not anything that'll handicap me from doing whatever it is that's getting my hyped up.

But I'm incredibly nervous as I walk down the hotel hallway to Bella's room.

I mean, _serious_ twelve-year-old butterflies. I feel like a little boy giving a Valentine's day card to his crush, not knowing whether she'll even take him seriously. I am so _nervous_, and I don't even know _why_, not really. Because it's not like _I'm_ the one with the confessions or anything. It would have made sense if it was me trying to get Bella back (again), but I wasn't even going for that – I just wanted to talk to her. So why was I so fucking nervous?

I knock on the door and try to calm my misplaced nerves but tapping my fingers against my thigh. I can hear her say "one minute" and some shuffling before she comes to the door, breathless.

"Hey," she says, letting out a small sigh. "Jake."

My name sounds like a prayer on her lips, and it's not my fault that I want to hear it again so badly, all of a sudden.

"Hey," I nod. I notice that her hair and eyes are a little wild and her cheeks are pink – which is not necessarily something that's new, but I haven't exactly said anything blush-worthy yet. "What were you doing?"

She shakes her head and grows a deeper shade of red. "Nothing – just…" she trails off with another blush, biting her lip. I smile a little at that – I think she's more nervous than I am. "The room was a mess and I didn't want you to see it."

I chuckle. "Seriously? Come on, honey, you've seen _my_ room before. I doubt you could much compare to _that_."

She smiles shyly and looks down at her feet. Her grin grows wider, even as she tries to hide it with her fist.

"What?" I ask.

"You called me 'honey,'" she tells me.

I close my eyes for a second. "I've always called you that."

"Maybe," she shrugs. "But still."

Well, _that_ was cryptic.

"So are you gonna invite me in or what?" I say suddenly.

"Oh, yeah," she remarks, seeming surprised. Like she forgot we were even still standing in the doorway.

The room is messy, in a I-just-attempted-to-shove-everything-in-the-corner sort of way. I can see her clothes piled over one of those big armchairs they always have in hotel rooms, and a few open books lying next to her bed. I walk over and pick one up.

"What are you reading?" I ask.

"It's e.e. cummings."

"Oh," I say. I don't really know what I expected, but it's not that. "I don't read poetry much," I admit. "It's kind of, like, I don't know – long. Winding. They never seem to get to the point."

She smiles. "That's the point, I suppose." She gestures so as to take the book from me, and I hand it to her. Where her fingers meet mine I feel a sort of shock – I feel like a huge idiot for it, too, but I guess I've always been that way around Bella. "It's just so _beautiful_, you know?"

I nod, watching her face as she stares at a page.

"And the coolness of your smile," she reads, "is stirringofbirds between my arms; but I should rather than anything have (almost when hugeness will shut quietly) almost, your kiss."

I don't say anything. What can I say, really? I don't exactly understand it but I _get_ it, really, I do, and I want so badly to tell her that I love her, too – I've always loved her, she _knows_ that. I want to tell her that we can be together and grow up together and get married and have babies together and get old and die – _together_.

I want to tell her that I have never really forgotten what being in love is like – that I haven't forgotten the softness of her hair or the way her smile looks in the dusk, or the way she smells like flowers and _girl_, and the way she tastes, the way every time she sat next to me in the garage the only thing I could think about was how beautiful she looked, and how much I wanted her to be mine.

But I can't tell her these things, because, as much as I want to – I can also remember the way heartbreak feels and the way she looked at Cullen. And I know that it's selfish to want to be the only one, but I don't think it's such an unfair thing to ask. I can't be the _other_ for her when she's the _only_ for me.

"I – I _can't_, Bella." I can hear my voice cracking like an adolescent kid, but I don't care. "I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" she asks, looking genuinely confused. I guess I can't blame her – she can't hear inside my head, after all.

"I mean – I…_we_, we can't do this. Be together."

"Why not?" she questions, with this look on her face that just makes this all the harder.

"Bells, honey…" I want to explain this to her, the right way. "Remember when you called me sort of beautiful?" She nods. "Well, a couple minutes ago you called a _poem_ beautiful." She still looks bemused. "And, I mean, it _is_ but…" I sigh. "How many times have you called Edward beautiful, Bella?"

She looks away. "God, Jake, I don't know. That doesn't matter, anyway, that's –"

"But it _does_ matter, don't you see?" She stares at me with those brown eyes – makes me want to give in again. "If you had told me that you loved me a few weeks ago, I would have told you just the same back, and we could have been together. But, Bella – I _do _love you. Too much. And if I had to leave to get you to realize that it's me you want, and not him, well, I don't know if that's enough."

Bella looks at me. "This isn't a joke to me, Jacob. I know you think that."

"I don't," I say.

She shakes her head. "No, you do. You think that as soon as we get back home I'm going to go back to him. Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but _this_," she gestures between us, "this right here is _real_. And if you're telling me I'm too late, then – sorry, but I'm simply not taking 'no' for an answer."

She walks to me, determined, so unlike the Bella that I know – and still everything that I always saw in her, and she kisses me. Hard. Both hands on my face, teeth clinking and lips mashing, and possibly the worst kiss I've ever had. And the best, too.

"I will fight for you, honey," she tells me. "Until your heart stops beating." She winces. "I guess that doesn't quite hold as much power as it does when you say it."

"Nah," I say. "It's still a pretty good line."

I don't think either of us are very nervous anymore.

--

**A/N:** So I was a bit hesitant about this chapter. For one thing, I don't want a quick reunion – I don't believe in people just _changing _like that. And I also have to imagine that Jacob would be pretty pissed off, but, at the same, time – he's Jacob. And she's Bella. So…yeah. Reviews would really help, is what I'm saying, so I'd appreciate it if you took a sec to tell me what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

There is a certain mythical sort of feeling about being kissed by the girl you love. It might be the werewolf thing, I don't know, but I'm almost positive that it happens, on some level, to everyone.

Kissing Bella is kind of like being cut open. Having my organs rearranged and put back together so they match hers, our pulses thudding in the same rhythm, her lips molding to mine, her breath hot in my mouth, the taste of her on my tongue. It's like being an astronaut without a spaceship, floating without air and _dying_, but not being able to resist enjoying the view.

Which is why, I guess, it's sort of hard to stop once we get going.

"Bella," I breathe when we break apart for air. She doesn't answer, her labored breaths stopping only to drag her lips across my neck. "No – ah, seriously…honey, you – you've gotta stop that."

I can feel her smile against my skin, and she tilts her head up and suddenly she's pushing me on top of the pile of clothes on the chair in the corner. I'm so surprised that I don't even have time to stop her, and she giggles at this.

"Hey, I moved you!" she squeals, pushing my shoulder again. When it doesn't move, she throws me an exaggerated frown.

"Bella," I say again, my tone reprimanding. She smirks and swings her legs so that she's straddling my lap, kissing me again.

"Jacob," she breathes into my mouth, pitching her voice lower and mimicking my tone. She threads her fingers through my hair and pulls at it, kissing my neck again.

I groan, frustrated. "Stop that." I pry her arms off and pull them to her sides. She frowns cutely again and struggles against my grip.

"Hey," I say sternly when she gives up, forgetting her arms and craning her neck forward again. "What's the hurry, Bells?"

"No hurry," she mumbles, stretching far enough to graze her teeth against me ear.

"Then why are you acting like a cat in heat?"

She grins. "You're a _dog_."

I roll my eyes. "You knowI wasn't trying to make a joke."

"I know," she nods. "You're just _naturally_ funny." Then she goes back to the kissing again.

"Bella!" I remark, kind of weirded out that she's acting like this, to tell the truth. I use my hold on her arms to lean her away from me. "What's up?"

"I told you, _nothing_," she insists. She dips her head and looks up at me from underneath her lashes. "I want you, Jake."

"Oh, Jesus," I mutter under my breath. Then I address her. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Bells."

"Why not?"

"'Cause," I shrug. "I don't know. I mean, you only ran away from her vampire fiancée a few days ago to reunite with your werewolf best friend. And I'm still not used to this," I point out, tilting my head to the two of us. "Also –" and, as if this conversation isn't bad enough, I actually _blush _at this point, "I've, uh, never done…_that_ before."

She sighs. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I shoot her a grin. "I'm _always _right."

She rolls her eyes. "Be quiet," she says plainly, standing up. She fixes her hair in the mirror before turning back to me. "I'm sorry, Jake, it's just –" She turns red and I'm kind of glad, because this other personality was making me a bit uncomfortable. "Well, I feel like I've waited so long to have you, even though I only truly realized that it was you I had to have not too long ago." She stares at me. "I just want to make the most of it, since it seems like I tend to fuck up a lot."

My eyes get wide. Bella doesn't really curse, and when she does it's usually because she hurt herself or she's super angry. Then I catch the look in her eyes and I walk over to her, tilting her chin up with my finger.

"Hey," I say softly. "We've both had our share of fuck-ups. Everybody does. But right now, we have each other." I kiss her lightly. "And that's enough, right?"

"Always," she says firmly, kissing me back. "That's why I want to be with you." She gives me that multiple-personality look again. "That's why I _want_ you."

"Let's just hold off on…" I blush again, "_that_, at least until we're back home, okay?"

Bella hesitates for a second before nodding. "Yeah, alright." She bites her lip. "I'm not, like, some sex-crazed teenager, you know."

"Oh, really?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. "You do realize you basically just tried to jump me, don't you?"

She blushes, looking away. "I hate you, and you liked it."

"Can't argue with that," I say, shrugging. I kiss her again, quick and sweet, tugging on a piece of her hair that's covering her face.

Bella goes back to looking in the mirror, trying to fix herself up or something. God only knows.

I shake my head and wrap my arms around her waist, looking at both of us in the mirror. It still surprises me how different we are: tiny, pale Bella, and the huge Indian towering over her.

I lean my head down so it's almost level with hers. "You're beautiful, honey."

She smiles softly, crossing her arms over mine. "I don't _really_ hate you."

"I know."

--

**A/N:** Haha. This chapter's sort of light/heavy, 'cause the last chapter was pretty much pure angst. Um, I hope Bella isn't _too_ OOC, but, you know, considering how she acted in Breaking Dawn…well, I think it's pretty plausible. Also: tell me if you think it's too mushy. Sometimes my romanticisms kind of get ahead of me.


	12. Chapter 12

The drive home is not without its obstacles.

For one, it took some convincing on my part to get Bella even _into_ the car, because it just so happened that I went to Kate and Tanya one last time to try and figure out a way home. I didn't have the money for a plane – the way Bella came – but I knew it was too cold and too long a journey to carry her on my back. Apparently, though, the Cullens aren't the only vamps with a car fetish.

God, what a gorgeous car, too. Pagani Zonda C12 in electric blue – leather interior like only the Italians can master. Wherever those girls are getting their money, they have _plenty_ of it, and I'm thankful.

But Bella wasn't too pleased with the idea of asking Kate and Tanya for a ride home, and especially wasn't too thrilled with the idea of spending hours in an enclosed space with the model-worthy women, whom not only had spent the week with _me_, her current boyfriend, but one of whom was still in love with her very recent ex. I know I shouldn't feel jealous for Bella's insecurity, but I still kinda do, so what followed what some heated arguing and some heated…um, making up.

Eventually, Bella agreed that it was stupid to waste her money on a plane ride home when we had a perfectly good carpool available, and Tanya decided to stay back at the house with Irina while Kate drove us home.

One the way, of course, Bella can't help but ask about Tanya.

"I mean," she looks over at me with an apologetic face before saying his name, "…Edward mentioned their…relationship, but I didn't really get the full story."

Kate sighs. "It's complicated," she says, hands tightening on the wheel.

"I've actually been kind of curious, too," I admit.

"Well, of course_ you_ have," she rolls her eyes. "You would be curious about how the cat got killed."

"What does that mean?" I ask indignantly.

Bella chuckles. "She's totally right, Jake."

I put my hand on the door, pretending to get ready to open it. "I'm sorry, should I leave you two alone or something?"

Kate shrugs. "Just saying. You need to know _everything_. One of these days that _curiosity_ of yours is gonna get you in trouble."

Bella and Kate laugh, and I groan. "Yeah, okay, maybe. But I _do_ really wanna know. I'm still not getting the whole unrequited vampire love thing. I didn't know that was possible."

Kate sighs again. "The thing about Edward and Tanya is that they go pretty far back."

Bella looks confused. "How far back?"

Kate bites her lip. "She's gonna massacre me for telling you guys this, you know."

"Oh, whatever," Bella says waving her arm. I want to laugh at how easy this is for Bella, how it seems like normal gossip for her, even when it's involving her ex-fiancé. It makes me a little proud.

"Carlisle thinks that Tanya and Edward know each other because he introduced them – about a hundred years ago." Kate purses her lips. "I had heard of Carlisle through a friend; he was pretty famous in our world – vampire surgeon and all.

"However, fifty or so years _before_ we all met up, Tanya came back from a hunting trip proclaiming that she had met her soul mate," Kate spares a glance at Bella, but she doesn't seem affected, only interested. "This was before our mother was…" she stops, breathes, then continues on. "Well, anyway – back then Tanya had a different take on love. And she figured she _had_ found her soulmate. Until…he turned her down.

I never met him. All I knew was that Tanya had asked him to be with her and he had declined, albeit politely – which we all know is _really_ the worst way – and Tanya came back…different. Harsh, sarcastic, not at all the same person she was before. Half a century later when I introduced her to Carlisle I found out that Edward was, well, _Edward_. Her heart just sort of broke again."

"Wow," Bella breathes. "That's awful."

"Not for you, I guess," Kate admits.

"In a way," Bella says, looking at me. "For me, too."

I kiss Bella carefully and try to whisper to her quietly enough that Kate won't hear. "You don't have to act like you just…forgot about him. I know it can't be that simple."

"The thing is," she says, "it sort of _is_. I mean, it's like when I made the choice to be with you it stopped mattering what I felt like when I was with him. It's like there's only _you_ know." She smiles. "That's another reason I know this is right. It was never like that with him – I always had you in my head."

I kiss her again until Kate makes a face. "Would you stop it? I'm trying to drive here."

Bella laughs. "So, anyone special in your life, Kate?"

She scrunches up her nose. "Vampire boys? Yuck," she sticks out her tongue. "Although I gotta say, you _did_ pick a good one here, Miss Isabella." She puts a hand around my bicep and winks. "I bet those werewolf tendencies work well in –"

"Hey," I interrupt. "Why don't you keep driving, alright? Only a few more hours till we're home."

Bella looks up at me and kisses my shoulder. "Home."

--

**A/N:** Okay, so I couldn't help adding a little twist on the Tanya/Edward story. You'll see why later.


	13. Chapter 13

If there is one thing I know I will never understand, it's the feminine mind.

When we get back to Forks – Forks, because I thought it would probably be best to stop in at Charlie's first – Kate kisses Bella on both cheeks.

"Good luck, beautiful," she says, smiling. "You better hope you get to keep this one." She winks at Bella and grabs my chin, twisting my face so she can see my profile.

"You better invite me to the wedding, alright?" she chuckles before hugging me. Both Bella and I blush, and that just makes me even more embarrassed. I mean, it isn't a very many thing to do; blushing. Kate just smiles wider before jumping back into the car, a swish of blond and white, and speeding away.

I turn to Bella and she reaches her arms around me. I laugh when I realize that her limbs barely circle my waist – she is so _small_, and I imagine what it must look like to those who pass. The big, long-haired Indian boy and the pale little white girl.

Bella tilts her head up at my laughter, sighing as she kisses me.

"Welcome home," she whispers.

Even though I'm not, you know, _actually_ home, I can feel that little bubble of warmth in my stomach, like when you get back from a long trip. I haven't been out of the Olympic Peninsula since I was really young, and it's only after she says it that I suddenly realize how much I've missed it.

--

"I like Kate," Bella tells me frankly, after we've calmed down Charlie (a job much shorter than I expected it to be. Apparently Alice Cullen made an excuse that we hadn't known about – I hate even _thinking_ it, but I'm all kinds of grateful).

I snort. "Huh, what a surprise. Bella Swan likes a _vampire_."

Bella rolls her eyes. "Oh, it _is_ a surprise and you know it. The Cullen's have always been friends with the Denali coven, but, to be completely honest having you stay there has only made me more jealous."

"Right," I say. "Like you have any reason to be _jealous_ of a couple undead leeches."

"Jeez, Jake," Bella replies sarcastically. "Someone's got _issues_."

I chuckle, holding her tighter against me where we sit on the couch.

"No, but – seriously."

"Okay, I'm serious," I deadpan, removing all traces of laughter.

Bella ignores that. "She's sweet. _Genuine_. Is Tanya much like her? Irina?"

I break my promise, letting out a loud bark of laughter. "Tanya? Sweet? Not exactly."

"What's she like?"

I shrug. "A bit jaded, I guess. I mean, she's not exactly _mean_ or anything – she's still got the old-time manners like most bl – sorry, _vampires_ do. But she's got a…rougher sense of humor, to say the least. As for Irina, I have no idea. She stayed out hunting pretty much the whole time I was there."

"Oh, God," Bella gasps, "I completely forgot about her and Laurent. Was it horrible?"

"Nah," I wave it off. "After the first few snaps she pretty much gave up on killing me."

Bella swats at my shoulder. I kiss her forehead and she's quiet. Her face is calm but concentrated.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"I was just thinking," she says quietly, "about Tanya. And Edward."

I nod, although I'm not really sure I'm that comfortable about _this_ subject. Bella bites her lip.

"Do you think he could've ever loved her? The way she does for him…the way he did for me?"

I sigh. "Honey, that's the thing. I gave up a long time ago on what-ifs. I think Edward and Tanya probably have, too."

"Yeah, but…now that I'm gone, I mean…"

I turn my head to hers. "Honestly? I don't know. There's a million ways that love works, and God knows there's a million that haven't been invented yet. Maybe if Edward had stayed in Alaska, and you'd never met…but still – I mean, the same way that I used to say you and I could be together in that world, the reality is that we're _not_. I _am_ a werewolf, and Edward _is_ a vampire, and you love him and he loves you, and Tanya never really stood a chance."

Bella traces my jaw with her finger. "Loved," she corrects softly.

I shake my head. "No – _love_. It's okay, Bells. I'm not an idiot. I know that you love him – that you were ready to give up your life for him. And don't start with that 'I chose you' crap, or whatever, because I know that, too, and I believe you. And I believe it when you say you're not going to leave me. I have to, I guess. But that doesn't mean that you've stopped loving him. A part of you will always be his, the same way that a part of Tanya will, too – and that's okay. I have the rest of you, for the rest of our lives."

Bella kisses me lightly, cradling my cheek in her palm. "They could've been wonderful, though," she says, smiling.

I shrug. "Me and Sarah Limtruck could've been, too."

"Who's Sarah Limtruck?"

"My fifth grade crush."

Bella giggles, shaking her head. "You sure are smart, Mr. Black."

I grin, putting on a Southern accent. "I may not know much 'bout that book-learning ya'll are always doin', but I know my two cents worth 'bout love."

"I can believe that," Bella says, and kisses me again.

--

**A/N:** Thank God for small miracles, right? As most of y'all know, 's been too troublesome lately to update. And I know this is a bit of a filler, but there's a lot of conversations that Bella and Jake need to have before they can…well – I guess what it comes down to is that it takes a lot to trust someone. Even someone you love. That's what I'm trying to show, anyway. In the small ways.


	14. Chapter 14

I wake up the next morning from Bella's voice in my ear. She's mumbling – laughing, I think – and I smile. I had imagined this moment a thousand times…waking up with Bella lying on me, her hair tickling my chin and her breath soft on my skin. It's a million times better than I imagined.

I try to disentangle myself without waking her up, and it's only after I manage to stretch my arms that I feel soreness all over my body from the strange sleeping arrangement. Sometimes I forget that I'm too big to sleep comfortably on the Swan's couch anymore. That's the thing about being a Quileute shape-shifter – it's kind of like puberty on speed.

I look out the window and it's raining. I feel like I've been gone forever, and once again my stomach warms at the sight of the familiar climate. It's funny the things you miss, you know? I spent my entire childhood complaining about the rain, but the truth is I can't really imagine living too long without it.

I hear Bella's breathing pattern change from behind me – it's no longer the slow, even count of deep sleep. She yawns and I turn around, watching her arms lift above her head and her eyes half-close with leftover slumber.

"Morning, honey," I say, grinning.

"Morning." She shoots me a lazy smile in response, then blushes and immediately begins to smooth her hair.

"Don't," I tell her. "You're beautiful like this."

"What?" she scoffs. "With hair like Amy Winehouse?"

I laugh, but pull her hands away, kissing her palm. "No. Like _you_."

She rolls her eyes. "I sincerely hope you do not imagine me this way."

"I imagine you a lot of ways…" I reply under my breath.

Bella hears me and smacks my shoulder lightly, but she's smiling now and just lets me hold her.

We stay there for a while – just touching; thinking. Bella breaks the silence with a quiet sigh.

"I have to see them today, don't I?" she asks. She doesn't have to explain herself – we both know who 'them' is.

"Only if you want to," I answer. "We can always –"

She shakes her head. "No, I need to do it before I chicken out." I nod. "I need closure."

--

The drive to the Cullens is both excruciatingly long and entirely too short. Even though this is technically Bella's battle, I'm almost shaking with nerves. Will they hate me? Will they hate _her_? Will Edward want to fight?

The hating part I wouldn't mind so much, except that I know it'll hurt Bella. Whether I like it or not, I'm willing to admit that Edward isn't the only vampire with a significant role in Bella's life. Before we became friends, Bella's only real companion was Alice, the little bloodsucker with the short hair. And I know she both respects and admires Carlisle and Esme, and even – in her own way – loves the rest of them, too. Except perhaps for the blond one. But, I mean, that's a given.

And Edward…

A few weeks ago I would be more than happy to rip him to shreds. But – and maybe it's because I have Bella now, really have her, for good – that's changed, now. Bella doesn't want Edward dead – possibly she doesn't even want him completely out of her life. We both know that it's unhealthy, their relationship, and the only real way we're – as in, me and her – are going to work is if it's cut off, at least for a while. But as much as a life without Edward is appealing, I can't do that to Bella.

When we arrive, I lean over to kiss Bella and notice that she's even paler than usual.

"Relax," I say, squeezing her hand. She gives me a tentative smile and squeezes back.

We walk to the door and I imagine that this is what walking the plank must feel like. I want to tell Bella this – make her laugh – but the door opens before my mouth can.

"Bella!" Alice squeals, jumping up to hug her. I'm not the only one surprised by her enthusiasm – Bella meets my eyes with alarm.

"Careful," I warn. "You're going to suffocate her."

Alice backs up but her smile is still bright. "Sorry," she shrugs. "I forgot."

"Aren't you…mad?" Bella asks incredulously.

"I'm just glad you're back," Alice says, beaming. "Esme was just _sick_ worrying about you. We all were." She turns to me, looking more stern now.

"You should really work on that whole staying-by-her-side thing," she tells me, pointing her finger. "You have _no_ idea how inconvenient it is not being able to _see_ anything."

"Sure, sure," I reply. "I'll work on that."

"Good." Alice flashes Bella another smile. "Well, don't just stand there. Come inside!"

I hold my breath, preparing for the scent of vampire to grow inconceivably stronger. We walk into the Cullen's house and I have to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from coughing. Bella smirks, noticing my expression.

Doctor Vamp, his wife, the muscle-y one and the one with scars are arranged around the living room. The doctor is smiling, perfectly still, and his wife is just radiating Stepford. I want to laugh but decide that's probably not such a good idea.

"Welcome back, Bella," Carlisle says, still smiling.

Bella takes my hand and nods. "Thanks." She smiles tightly at him, and I can hear her heart beating faster than usual.

The big one grins, and I always forget that he has dimples and curly hair because of how strong he looks – but now, looking at Bella, he actually seems pretty harmless. "How's it going, human?" he says, winking.

Bella's grin is wider this time – I can tell she finds it hard _not _to be amused. "Alright," she answers.

Scar waves at her, and I can feel her heartbeat slow, as well as my own. Ah – stupid bloodsucker and his abilities.

We stand there for a few minutes, and if our emotions weren't being twisted I know we'd all be feeling seriously awkward.

"So…" I begin, holding Bella's hand a little tighter, "where's Edward?"

I see a flash of white and then I can hear him. "Right here," he says.

Bella looks at me. Here we go.

**A/N:** Yes, I know that wasn't fair. But I promise the next chapter will be full of surprises.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** I had actually planned a different chapter, but my muse kind of got away with me and, luckily, it was right. It usually is. Now that this story's coming to an end, I just want to say thank you so much to all my readers and reviewers. You guys are awesome, and you have no idea what you mean to me.

Stay tuned for the epilogue!

--

"Bella," he says.

I want to hit him for saying her name like that – like _salvation_, like she could _save_ him – it reminded me of the way she used to say mine.

She breathed his out, quiet enough that it was almost-but-not-quite a whisper. "Edward."

The silence filled up the air again, as awkward as ever.

I cleared my throat. "Um…" Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Esme and Carlisle were still standing there, and when I looked over they all pretended to be doing something else. They were good at it – the whole human act, I suppose, from having so much practice, but…I mean, I'm not an idiot. And it was pretty obvious they were eavesdropping. "Would you guys mind, like, _leaving_, perhaps?"

Bella shot me a look, but it softened quickly and I knew she was grateful. This was going to be bad enough _without_ five extra vamps listening in.

Alice put her hands on her tiny waist. "Now, wait just a minute, I –"

Edward interrupted her mid-sentence. "Jacob is right. It would be best for you to leave the house, at least for a little while. Please."

Alice sighed, but began walking grudgingly to the door, dragging Scar along with her. The others followed, and I sent them intentional glares on their way out. Just for kicks.

Bella looked down, said in that quiet voice, "Yes. Well."

Edward smirked – I wanted to hit him again. "I realize this is difficult for you."

She looked up, confused. "It's not…_difficult_ for you?"

He pursed his lips. "Actually, I was referring to Jacob. But, yes – it is difficult. Perhaps not in the same way."

"Oh," I said. It surprised me that he was even speaking to me directly. I figured he would be up for _killing _me, maybe, but…

"I have considered it," he said, answering my thoughts. Fuck. I'd forgotten he could do that.

"Considered what?" Bella asked.

Edward and I exchanged glances. Whether we liked it or not, there _was_ one thing that we had in common: we were both in love with Bella Swan. The only difference was our approaches to how to treat her. _Bella's not a little girl_, I thought, directing it at the bloodsucker. _She can handle whatever it is you want to say_.

He nodded. "Bella, I…this is not an easy situation."

No shit, Sherlock.

He rolled his eyes at me, then turned his gaze back to Bella. "Before anything else, I want to tell you that I still love you. I realize this doesn't matter anymore – you've made your choice, and I accept that. I've always wanted whatever makes you happy, and if…" he clenched his fists a little, as though whatever he had to say physically hurt him, "_Jacob_ makes you happy, then I wish the best for you."

Bella smiled. It seemed sincere. "Thank you, Edward."

"However," he said. Jesus. Nothing good can ever come from a vampire saying _however_. "And I've said it before, to you, Jacob Black: if the day should ever come that you are no longer happy – I will be here. Wherever you need me to be."

Bella tightened her hold on my hand. "That's not necessary, Edward." I was proud of how her voice sounded: strong; real. "I don't regret any of the time we've had, but…for the rest of my days – the rest of my _life_, actually, I will no longer _need_ you. And while I appreciate everything you've done for me, I think that the best way for this to work is if we…stay apart. For a while, at least. Our lives – or whatever you want to call them – our _story_ is _over_."

Well, damn. I know that lately Bella's been kinda coming to her own or whatever, but I honestly didn't think she'd go Buffy on his ass. The bloodsuckers have been such a big part of her life and I…well, as much as she tells me she's here to stay, it's still pretty hard to believe it.

I turn to her and kiss the top of her head. I would do more, but I'm not that cruel. I remember what it was like – seeing Edward with her. That kind of pain is worse than battle wounds.

"Bells," I say, nudging her. "Come on."

She nods. "Yeah. Goodbye, Edward."

Edward's mouth is perfectly straight, and I realize that he's looking at me, not Bella. "If you ever hurt her…" he begins, but I stop him. I want to be angry – for thinking that I'd ever desert Bella like he did. Complicated reasons or not, that would just never happen. I wouldn't have the strength. I can't be mad, though, 'cause I know that if I were in his position, which I was, sort of, for a long time – I would say the same thing.

"She's safe, Cullen," I tell him.

He sighs. "Yes, I suppose she is. I'm just sorry it couldn't be with me."

"You won't be alone forever, Edward," Bella tells him, having allowed our little guy-to-guy thing. "I can promise you that much."

He shakes his head. "Forever…" he trails off, like he forgot what he was going to say. Then he smiles, sadly. "Goodbye, Bella. Jacob."

This is the moment where I leave him with some great send-off, right? Like _I win_ or _Have fun in hell_ or whatever. I can't, though.

Edward and I are nothing alike – looks-wise, personality-wise, whatever. But in some ways, we are completely the same. We both knew what we wanted, and we were both willing to fight for it. Whether I had won or not didn't matter, not really, because the girl that we loved _had_.

Even after she had chosen me, the little cracks in my heart – those falters in my smile – they didn't just disappear. And Edward wasn't going to go back to who he was before Bella'd come to Forks – not even to what he was like when he had left her. Loving this girl, this _woman_, had changed both of us – all of us, actually, Bella possibly the most.

And, in the end, it wasn't about the happily ever after. Edward will move on, eventually, just like I would have – even if it takes ten years, or a hundred, or a thousand, because the way he – we – loved Bella wasn't nearly as important as the way we _loved_.

So I didn't jump around and throw it in his face. I nodded, took Bella's hand, and left.

Because, sometimes, there are more important things than fighting.

Because when you're in love, everything starts to make sense.

And because – despite everything, despite heartbreak and charm bracelets and vampires, despite motorcycles and crowded tents, and monsters and magic – despite it all, Bella was standing next to me, kissing my palm and smiling.

And that was something I could get used to.

--

**A/N, Part Two:** I tried really hard to get Edward right. I don't like making any character seem one-sided, so I hope you understand where he's coming from.

On another note: Twilight DVD release this Friday! Where are y'all gonna be at?

(Those of you going to a Border's, be on the lookout. If you see a writer's smile, a black shirt, and some sarcasm, you might just've run into me.)


	16. Epilogue

"…through sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

I smile at her – this is my favorite part. Death is no longer something that she's afraid of, and every bit of me rejoiced that she had finally realized that _life_ was the important part; not what came after it.

I haven't phased for a week, and already I'm starting to feel my temperature go down. Because it's about the decision, you know? Being sure. Something that both of us have struggled with and, finally, made up our minds.

Her "I do" is strong – not the quiet voice I remember from a few years ago.

The question's turned to me, and I smile at the girl I'm marrying.

"Always," I tell her. And it's true.

--

We're going around thanking everyone at the reception when I see the Cullens. Bella does, too, and I squeeze her hand to let her know that it's okay.

It was my idea to invite them. Well, my idea to invite Edward – Alice had been a given. See, even after The Break-Up (and, yes, when it was discussed by anyone, it was definitely capital-letter-worthy), the tiny psychic had not been willing to give up her friendship for stupid things like _love_. And even though it didn't thrill me that one of Bella's friends was a bloodsucker, I'd learnt to deal with it. Vampires, I guess, were always meant to be a part of Bella's life – the dynamics of how they fit in had just changed a little. (Bella assured me, after the first phone call from Alice, that I didn't have to worry. _I'd_ always be her _best_ friend, anyway.)

Edward had been a different story, though. Bella didn't want to invite him – she thought it would cause unnecessary pain. But the way I see it is this: moving on is an on-going thing. And I remember what it felt like to get Bella's wedding invitation, so long ago – and it _hurt_. But if I hadn't gotten it, I wouldn't have had a reason to run. And if, let's just pretend, Bella _hadn't _found me, well, I think that eventually having closure like a wedding probably would've been a good thing.

We make our way to their table, and I try to get rid of the huge grin I'm still sporting. It's difficult.

"Hey," Bella says, carefully. Edward is standing there, and it takes me a minute to recognize who's next to him.

"Jacob Black," she sneers.

"How's it going, Tanya?"

She nods. "Pretty good, actually." There's a warmth in her half-closed eyes that I _don't_ remember, and I look down and see that she's holding Cullen's hand – he still looks a little uncomfortable, but I smirk anyway.

"Sure, sure." I lean over and put my hand on her shoulder. "It's worth it," I whisper in her ear. Edward turns his head and we exchange glances – his smile is tentative but it's still there. Tanya chuckles and tugs on my hair with her free hand.

"You clean up good, mutt," she says.

I shoot her another grin and turn to where I see Kate, next to her.

"Well, if it isn't the Alpha," she smiles. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," I say. "You know, I'm still not –"

She laughs. "Jacob Black, look at yourself. There's not just the one definition, you know."

I shrug. "Maybe."

Just then, Embry runs over, out of breath. "Dude," he says, "You gotta cut the cake, man. Quil and Paul are going insane."

I roll my eyes. "They can hold it for another minute, Em."

"I don't know, they're pretty –"

He turns and sees who I'm standing with, stopping mid-sentence. His mouth drops open a little and he's staring at Kate like he's just seen the sun. She smiles a little, looking confused.

"Uh, Embry, this is Kate – from Denali. Kate, this is Embry. He's one of the pack brothers."

Kate flashes a real smile, now, and holds out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Embry, still looking a little dazed, takes her palm. "You have _no _idea how inconvenient this is," he breathes.

"Excuse me?"

I chuckle and walk away, letting _that_ play out by itself.

Bella had broken away sometime while I was with Tanya, and I look around to find her talking with Angela by the band. I walk over and wrap my arms around her waist from behind.

"Hey," I say, leaning my head down so it's level with hers.

She blushes, of course. "Hey."

Angela smiles. "I'm gonna go get some food," she says. "Congrats, you guys."

Bella nods. "Thanks, Ang."

When she leaves, I turn Bella around in my arms. "So," I say, grinning. "Enjoying the party, Mrs. Black?"

"I am, actually," she smiles. "Although I _could _do with a few less people."

"Oh, really?" I ask, leaning down to kiss her neck.

"Mmm," she mumbles, her voice low. "Like, maybe just you and me."

"Don't worry," I tell her, my mouth a centimeter from hers. "We've got the rest of our lives for that."

--

**END**

--

**A/N: **Holy crap, I'm _done_? Whew!

First off, I do realize that this is a total HEA. But, come on. Have you _read_ any of my other fics? I think Jake and Bella deserve at least _one_ good ending. Besides – in my head, at least – they don't go around frolicking in meadows and such, having the perfect relationship. They fight and they kiss and they laugh and they cry and they live. And _that's_ what makes it perfect. The fact that it's _not_.

'Kay, I'll stop waxing poetic now. Thanks to everyone who's read, everyone who's reviewed, supported me, been a cheerleader, or generally just made my day by managing to fit me in to their schedules. Y'all really are amazing. I should be posting some Changing Directions-inspired crackfic drabbles soon, and a couple other projects that I've got up my sleeve. Until then, stay awesome!

/end fic


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